#rouge!reader

Yoketron had no idea what to expect when he was handed out this mission-- Fairly simple one too: Infiltrate into a top secret underground Decepticon research facility in the vicinity of the city of Tarn. It was a simple recon mission, he's done quite a few before and has yet to really fail. After all, he was a star student at the Dojo. So they believed in him, though he was still considered a rookie.

An easy mission, they said. It was a stake out if anything, they were reports Autobot POWs being transferred into this so-called research facility. Yoketron had many thoughts about what it really was, perhaps a prison camp or maybe something related to interrogation with what would obviously be less than humane practices.

But none of his speculations could prepare him for what he was about to see down there...

All he had to do was wait to see if any transports with Autobot life signals were entering. A visual confirmation along with a spark signal detection. Simple, really.

But one thing lead to another and now he's in the lab, uncovering its mysteries. There was some sort of outbreak, Yoketron really has no idea what happened but all of a sudden, the Decepticons in there were.. hostile. Not the usual, Decepticon hostility--- It was borderline animalistic. Their frames looked heavily damaged; sparks from wire endings, punctured fuel lines, torn plating, rust flakes all over their frame, and most concerning above all, plating discolouration. Their plating was dimmed of its colours, near that grey zone. As if they were dying.

He prowls around the lab, weary as to not make any sound and draw the attention of the infected Decepticon lurking about, knowing it would bring their friends along.

The atmosphere is cold, the hallways are quiet with the occasional groans of the infected, the sounds of their shuffling pedes and gargling was always going to unsettle him but right now, he needs to focus..

What in the name of the Allspark happened here? Is naturally the first question on his processor, unable to compute any known reasons as to how this could have occurred. Narrowing it down to either mass hysteria or him losing his mind. His servos are always by his katana handles, ready for the unexpected as he makes his way into, what seems to be a data archive- Perfect! Yoketron is sure there will be some kind of reason in there so he can figure out what exactly went down here and he doubts High Command will take anything he has to say seriously without proof. He needs to warn them, its the only reason he's taken this risk to go down here and retrive any kind of data he could get.

Keycard in hand, the young ninja swipes open the large metal door and a soft hiss emerges.

The room is dark, there's a monitor on screen and it seems like the access code has already been entered by... someone.

The thought hits him quick, he was not alone in here, was he?

And as soon as he felt that presence behind him, Yoketron whips around with his sword in servo, blocking what could've been a lethal strike to his helm by-

He freezes as he recognizes the mask you're wearing.

"Ah, good to see you again." You say taking your sword away from him as he just freezes there for a moment. Yoketron just blinks, confused and... unsure on how to feel as he looks into your mask.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, there's a hint of worry in his tone- Were you with the Decepticons? You dropped out, left the Dojo and disgraced it; roaming as a bounty hunter, without honour. Yoketron knows you belong to the highest bidder.

"Relax, I'm not with the 'Cons... if that's what you're wondering." You say, a servo on your hip as you study him through your mask. Yoketron looks uncertain. His guard is down, you could strike him any moment but you chose not to. Which is.. assuring? In a way? Yoketron snaps out of his thoughts. Why did his mind get so muddled when it came to you!?!?!?

"Then who are you with?" He asks, keeping his distance from you even if he does yearn to be closer, eyeing you suspiciously and you can't help but find it cute, in a way.

"Hm. Can't say. My benefactor wouldn't like it." With your servos behind your back, you approach the console, looking at the screen. Yoketron huffs, of course. He knows better than to pressure you about it but he prays that its someone good, someone affiliated with the Autobots.

"Fine, do you at least know what's going on here?" He asks with a frown as he approaches you, standing behind you as you continue your work on the console. Hoping that wasn't classified too.

"A virus outbreak." You say, continuing to go through files, seems like you were downloading a select few for... some purpose.

"Virus outbreak?" He asks, tilting his helm a bit as he moves to stand beside you, trying to look at your face but alas, the mask.

You nod in response, making it sure that he didn't mishear that. "The Decepticons were developing some sort of virus in this facility, most likely to use as a bio-weapon." You say, keeping the details vague on purpose as you plug in a data driver into its slot to collect what you need. "But something must've went wrong and their weapon was turned against them."

He puts his servo on his chin, reassessing everything he's seen... The Autobot shells on examination tables, frames being thrown into smelters... It made sense now. Smelting away the frames to avoid spread... But what did-

It hits him like an arrow.

The Decepticons were using captured Autobots to run the tests on.

He feels... outraged. It made sense now. All those datapads he saw related to the Rust Plague made sense now, they were probably studying it to make this new virus. Of course they wouldn't test on their own, none of them would volunteer so they found an easy way out. The realization was haunting- Those poor sparks.. Yoketron choses not to think about it now.

"Alright, virus makes.. sense." He mutters out. You hum, looking largely.. unphased by these atrocities. It does irk him in a way but he's also very jealous. There's a lot of disturbing things he's seen down here that he wants to erase badly.

"Wait, there's... there's a city above here..." He mumbles out, looking at you with a deep worry. If this virus breaks out from this lab then it will effect the residents of Tarn, Decepticon occupied territory.

"And? We don't owe the Decepticons anything." You shrug it off with a huff, you did have a point but just... leaving? Letting these things crawl their way up to the surface and infect an entire city? They might've been Decepticons but that didn't mean they should-

"Who's to say the spread would stop at Tarn? It could spread all across Cybertron!" He remarks, trying to convince you to stay past your directive, maybe even stay with him.

You go quiet for a moment, Yoketron looks at you keenly. He knows he can never read you with the mask on but he tries anyway, his optics gleaming with anticipation on his hardened face.

"...There is a anti-virus." You mutter out in thought, Yoketron looks relieved momentarily.

"A cure?" He asks and you shake your helm.

"No, more like... prevention," You explain. "There could be a cure somewhere in these files though." You pull out the data driver, complete with the list of files your gracious employer requested you to bring.

"But other than that, I can't really help you." You say, your servo on his chassis as your faced face leans in close to his face. Close enough for his frame to go rigid and spark to jump to the back of his intake but he's quick to compose himself, clearing his vocalizer as he completely registers your words. You continue to walk away with a smirk playing on your dermas, leaving him here as you get ready to hand over the data and cash a paycheck.

"You can't go out there alone." He says, turning to look at you. Your helm creaks back to look at Yoketron who approaches you.

"There are far too many of them. You and I both know neither of us can make it out alive by ourselves." He says, a conviction in his optics. A need to do what is right, he really was an Autobot..

"You want to team up?" You cross your servos over your chassis. Somewhat amused by his offer. Though, he did have a good point--Primus knows if the entrance you used is accessible still considering the whole place is on lockdown. Might be the only fail safe the Decepticons had..

He gives a firm nod.

"Yes. You assist me in finding this cure and anti-virus," He continues, explaining the deal. The best way to get to you was through a deal. "And in exchange, I'll assist you deliver that to your benefactor."

You smile beneath your mask.

"Tempting offer." You mumble out, somewhat playful about this. You're too relaxed, in Yoketron's opinion but its just how you've always been.. Weighing your options, you sigh.

"Fine. Team up it is." You extend your servo in a gesture of goodwill, Yoketron hesitates for a moment but quickly places his servo in yours.

He's not letting anything touch that hand for a while.

YEAH thats all i got for now... MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT @cheschesterpossum's rouge!y/n for more content and i may have some of my own personal hcs abt them i'd like to share

--- I like to think you and Yoketron have overlapping missions every now and then, coming across each other and playing that same cat and mouse game every single time.

--- At least, until he became a Dojo Master. Then he's never really had much time to come across you as much but oh, does he hope so...